With an increasing number of college football offenses seeking to spread the field, defenses are countering by removing a linebacker in favor of another defensive back.
That negates a deep position at Georgia and often leaves senior inside starter Dannell Ellerbe and sophomore weakside starter Rennie Curran as the lone linebackers, but that shouldn’t be confused with putting the Bulldogs at a disadvantage. Serving as the only linebackers for much of the 41-10 rout of Hawaii in January’s Sugar Bowl, Ellerbe racked up eight tackles and an interception, while Curran had seven tackles and two sacks.
Ellerbe is Georgia’s only Southeastern Conference first-team preseason selection defensively, but the emergence of Curran down the stretch as a freshman makes this tandem among the best in the league and nationally.
“We don’t talk about the impact we could have on the nation or being in the spotlight or that kind of thing,” Curran said. “We just try to work hard. He’s stepped into that leadership role and has done a great job of giving out advice. He’s like a big brother to me.
“We’re both instinctive players, and we both feel offenses really well.”
The Bulldogs used four starting combinations at linebacker during the first six games last season, but Curran was not included. Viewed last September by defensive coordinator Willie Martinez as not quite ready to handle the offensive variety in the SEC, the 5-foot-11, 220-pounder from Snellville kept improving and earned his first start against Florida.
Curran had five tackles and two tackles for loss against the Gators, but his top statistical game occurred in the win over Kentucky, when he tallied 13 tackles, one for lost yardage.
Ellerbe earned his first career start in last year’s opener against Oklahoma State and responded with seven tackles and a sack. He continually showed up at the right place, recovering a late fumble against Vanderbilt and leading the team in tackles in stretch wins over rivals Florida, Auburn and Georgia Tech.
His 93 tackles led the team, but Ellerbe wants much more this season.
“I want to be the best,” he said. “I want to be the first linebacker off the board.”
Ellerbe was almost off Georgia’s board in January 2006, when he was charged with felony theft of an automobile, driving under the influence, underage possession and giving police false information. In one mistake-filled night, he illegally gained entrance to an Athens strip club and wrecked the car of teammate Marquis Elmore.
The 6-1, 232-pounder from Hamlet, N.C., was placed on six months probation by the university’s student judiciary and was suspended for the first three games of the ’06 season.
“I look at it as a stepping stone, but I feel like I’m still in the doghouse as long as it keeps getting brought up,” he said. “Until everyone forgets about it, I feel like I’ll be in the doghouse still.”
Said linebackers coach John Jancek: “Dannell has always been smart and has always been a good person, but unfortunately sometimes good people make mistakes. That was the case with him early in his career, but he’s rebounded and has been tremendous. He’s progressed into being a great leader for our team. I’m proud of him, and I’m excited for him.”
Strength coach Dave Van Halanger believes Ellerbe and Curran are the team’s strongest players pound-for-pound. Determining the stronger of the two depends on the event.
Curran’s bench press of 435 pounds beats Ellerbe’s 400, but Ellerbe has a 400-350 advantage in the clean.
“Rennie will bench the whole weight room, but I smoke him in the clean and squat,” Ellerbe said. “Everything else is mine.”
Asked who he thought was stronger, Jancek said, “I don’t know. What I do know is that I wouldn’t trade either one.”
Odds and ends
Freshman Richard Samuel is receiving equal carries to redshirt freshman Caleb King in the race for the backup tailback spot. ... Freshman Cordy Glenn is the latest to work at starting right guard, where Clint Boling, Justin Anderson and Tanner Strickland also have competed.
David Paschall is a sports writer for the Times Free Press. He started at the Chattanooga Free Press in 1990 and was part of the Times Free Press when the paper started in 1999. David covers University of Georgia football, as well as SEC football recruiting, SEC basketball, Chattanooga Lookouts baseball and other sports stories. He is a Chattanooga native and graduate of the Baylor School and Auburn University. David has received numerous honors for ...
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